The present invention relates generally to pulse circuits, and more particularly to high current pulse circuits.
Electric arc devices are used in a variety of applications, including series capacitor protection, high power switches, acoustic generators, shock wave generators, pulsed plasma thrusters and arc mitigation devices. Such devices include two or more main electrodes separated by a gap of air or another gas. A bias voltage is applied to the main electrodes across the gap.
One means to trigger such electric arc devices is via a high current pulse. For example, a high current pulse source can provide the high current pulse to trigger a plasma gun to generate conductive ablative plasma vapors between the main electrodes. The high current pulse source can also be used in devices such as rail guns, spark gap switches, lighting ballasts, and series capacitor protection, for example.
The high current pulse is typically greater than about 5,000 Amps (5 kA), such as to generate adequate plasma vapors, for example. Additionally, high voltage, greater than about 5,000 Volts (5 kV), is utilized to overcome a breakdown voltage of air and initiate the high current pulse across pulse electrodes, such as plasma gun electrodes for example. Typical high current pulses may be known as lightning pulses that can be defined as having an 8 microsecond rise time and a 20 microsecond fall time. Circuits to generate such high current pulses commonly utilize costly high-energy capacitors that can have capacitive values in the millifarad range. While existing high current pulse sources are suitable for their intended purpose, there is a need in the art for a high current pulse source that overcomes these drawbacks.